Snow Removal and Winter Roads

The Haverhill Public Works Department would like to provide our residents and visitors to the City with the best possible service with respect to clearing our streets of snow and ice.  Here are a few suggestions you can follow to help us do our job:

• Don’t drive unnecessarily in a storm especially during severe snowstorms and freezing rain.

• If a storm is anticipated, remove vehicles from the roadside shoulders. This allows our snow plows to clear the area the first time through, making return trips unnecessary.

• Do not shovel or blow snow into the road or have your driveway plowed into the road.  This can cause a serious traffic hazard and is forbidden by City Code Section 216-4.

• Help reduce the possibility of a broken mailbox post.  Plow operators are urged to take precautions to avoid hitting mailbox posts; however, experience has shown that reduced visibility during a storm makes it difficult for a driver to see a post in time to avoid striking it or pushing it over with plowed snow.  Any installation within the right-of-way, including a mailbox, is placed there at the owner’s risk.  Therefore, residents are encouraged to install mailboxes at the maximum usable distance from the edge of the roadway.  Posts should also be checked for deterioration to reduce the possibility that the weight of the plowed snow may simply break the post.

• Keep basketball devices at least 10 feet from the edge of pavement and do not park cars in driveways within 10 feet of edge of pavement. Do not allow children to build and occupy “snow forts” and similar creations within 10 feet of the edge of pavement.

• Don’t be misled by City plow trucks travelling down streets with their plows raised; they may be:

• Returning for fuel or vehicle service; or
• Returning to the maintenance yard for additional treatment material; or
• Responding to a call to assist Emergency Services, i.e.:

• Avoid calling municipal offices during a storm for routine matters. Personnel are extremely busy dealing with storm conditions.  It is best to keep the telephone lines clear for emergencies.

• Please keep your front walkways and sidewalks clear in the event emergency personnel need to get to your door. Emergency personnel, mail carriers, school children and pedestrians count on your help keeping their walkway safe. 

What do I do if I see a sidewalk that needs to be cleared?

Talk to your neighbor. Some people need help or don’t know about the rule. Neighbors helping neighbors is an important part of our community and an easy way to fix the problem.

Clearing Fire Hydrants

The City also has over 2,000 fire hydrants and could use your help in shoveling them out.  Fire personnel work to clear as many of these hydrants as possible but your assistance with this effort will help keep you and your neighbor’s safe in the event of a fire.  Better yet, adopt your neighborhood fire hydrant and keep it clear of snow and ice.

For snow and ice issues after 4 pm on weekdays, Saturdays, Sundays, and holidays contact the Highway Department at 978-374-2360.

Snow removal is done typically two to three days after the snow storm abates.  The lots specified for snow removal include:

• Washington Street next to the Post Office
• Wingate Street Parking Lot
• Essex Street @ Locust Street

Together these lots contain over 200 parking spaces.  It is recognized that even temporary closure of the parking lots creates inconvenience for users of the lots; however the snow and ice must be removed to facilitate safe driving and walking conditions in these lots.  This work will typically be done in the early morning hours to minimize impacts to businesses and residents.   Each of the lots will be closed no longer than 3-4 hours to allow for snow removal to occur.  During the lot closure, users of these lots can park either at the parking lot behind the Tap restaurant, Moulton Way lot, or in the lot behind the Haverhill Beef store.

Post Snow Fall – Parking Lots Clean-up

After snow plowing operations cease, if the snow fall exceeds 3-4 inches and depending on future weather forecasts, Highway crews will remove snow from the City owned parking lots in the Downtown area.  To allow for proper notification to parking lot users, the City will post signs at the entrance of the parking lots alerting parkers that snow removal operations will commence.